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Topic: Made Them Want to Leave

Bill Enos
Film God

Posts: 2081
From: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 06-04-2001 11:40 PM

Not too long ago a couple was observed making a dash to the balcony which was closed. The manager asked me to go out and ask them to return downstairs. They vehemently refused. They were very nasty. We turned the lights on so they wouldn't trip and go over the rail and the manager asked if I could make them want to leave. After removing all the port glass I wound the 2nd and 3rd reels (we use 6000ft) to the crookedest & most out of balance reels we have. Theese reels on supply make a nice scraaaaape-clank on each revolution and shake so badly on rewind that they must be held on. This combined with open proj. doors and a well worn print & they were back where they should have been in an hour. Noise in the balcony has to at extreme levels to be heard downstairs. I guess we shouldn't have but sometimes you need to make a point.

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Joe Schmidt
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 172
From: Billings, Montana, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 06-05-2001 12:20 AM

Was it a Young Couple or an old one?

The 7-11 stores used to have a lot of trouble with teenagers congregating, and a very successful solution was reported to be playing music by Mantovani in the stores.

The Teenagers went off Screaming into the night and were never seen again.

One of these days I might show up at the Byrd. Will you let ME sit in the balcony? That is, if I haven't been Thrown Out after playing the Wurlitzer. Front row is my favorite place, and often has the best view of the screen. Why don't you fix it up and make nice Loge seats for which can charging extra?

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Jerry Chase
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1068
From: Margate, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 06-05-2001 12:44 AM

Bill, next time just tell them to go ahead and stay, but to try not to scream when the foot long rat comes out to investigate.

Once they are seated, race around the back rows with a broom, whacking at the seats.

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Dave Bird
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 777
From: Perth, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 06-05-2001 11:26 AM

Ohhhhh, for a theatre WITH an actual balcony!
I would have to INSIST that I be allowed to sit there (we never did much as kids because that's where the smokers sat). Of course, I'd be more than willing to politely "tip" (bribe?) the hard working projectionist for the pleasure........

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Gordon Hedges III
Jealous of everyone not me

Posts: 212
From: Severn, MD
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 06-05-2001 12:12 PM

The only balcony theatre I remember was in Denver, Colorado. But I forgot the name of it. Joe or Brad, can you tell me what United Artist Theatre that was on Colorado Boulevard? I was told that it was closed and torn down.

Sad to hear, because I enjoyed that and the United Artist Continental (back when it was one screen).

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 06-05-2001 06:23 PM

That was The Cooper. Later UA bought it and changed the name to... get this: The United Artists. Wow. What a name! People still called it the Cooper, though. It was torn down and turned into a Barnes & Noble. Wouldn't you rather have a book store that serves coffee (what the hell?) than a great movie theater?

The Esquire used to have a balcony, as did a few others in Denver. They put a wall up in the balcony at the Esquire so they now have two "auditoriums". The whole place is really slimy (not to mention the worst seats I have ever sat in). I wouldn't recommend a visit.

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Gordon Hedges III
Jealous of everyone not me

Posts: 212
From: Severn, MD
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 06-06-2001 03:03 AM

I guess I was right... The United Artist Theatre.

Thanks, Joe. Balcony theatres are hard to come by nowadays, since everyone seems to want the new style of STADIUM SEATING. At our theatre, we actually have a small ledge with just two seats for wheelchair seating at the upper level of our largest stadium seating auditorium. The cool thing about those seats, the arm rest in the middle lifts up to make a comfortable "Love Seat".

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Mike Jones
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 108
From: Birmingham, MI, USA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 06-06-2001 04:19 AM

Ok, I'll glout on this one. My theatre has a great balcony. The original theatre was a playhouse built in 1926 and converted into an 8 screen movie theatre in 1996. We're the only ones in Metro Detroit for a first or second run house that has one.

Uptown Birmingham 8
Birmingham, Michigan

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Bill Enos
Film God

Posts: 2081
From: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 06-06-2001 08:11 AM

If they ask, they will often be told to go ahead, but if they don't they are asked to return downstairs. Balcony IS open most Sat. nites and other times as needed. The insurance company requests that it be used as seldom as possible. They were 30ish, real assholes, yuppies. The balcony has stadium seating. Friends, celebrities, etc., people with babies are also allowed up.

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Barry Floyd
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1079
From: Lebanon, Tennessee, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 06-06-2001 09:29 AM

Joe mentioned that they tore the Cooper theatre down and built a "coffee serving - Barnes & Noble" bookstore in it's place.

Here in Nashville we have a gorgeous art-deco theatre that has been converted into a bookstore. It's called "Book Star", and when they remodeled the place into the bookstore, they left most of the theatre intact. The top of the screen peeks out over the top of the magazine racks, and the projection booth has been turned into the childrens book area. It's a beautiful theatre inside and out.

------------------
Barry Floyd
Floyd Entertainment Group
Nashville, Tennessee
(Drive-In Theatre - Start-Up)

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Evans A Criswell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1579
From: Huntsville, AL, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 06-06-2001 10:43 AM

Yes, Barry, the old Belle Meade Theatre, right? I've been in that Bookstar 4 or 5 times and I thought it was really cool that left a lot of the signs of the place being a theatre intact. Do you know when that theatre originally opened and closed (as a theatre?)

BTW, thanks for posting the picture. It wasn't there when I first made my reply. It's a really neat-looking building.

------------------
Evans A Criswell
Huntsville-Decatur Movie Theatre Info Site

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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-06-2001 04:08 PM

Joe,

Just to let you know. The Esquire installed all new seats two years ago. I am sure that it won't be enough to get you to go there.

It was much more fun as a single screen theatre.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 06-06-2001 06:28 PM

New seats? I'm on my way! As you know, I live for art theaters. The more messed up the subject of the film is, the more "brilliant" I think it is. It also helps when there is not a word of English in the movie.

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